


Wedding Dress

by Hidge



Series: I And Love And You [2]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: All fluff and smut really, Eloping, F/F, Flashbacks, Fluff, Road Trips, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:20:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22029967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hidge/pseuds/Hidge
Summary: Tobin and Christen take a weekend to get married.Set to fluffy, sappy music.
Relationships: Tobin Heath/Christen Press
Series: I And Love And You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1585717
Comments: 38
Kudos: 324





	Wedding Dress

**Author's Note:**

> I had intended to have this out before Christmas, but it is now a gift for CP23's birthday!

**I. Marry You**

_Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you_

Tobin laid awake in their bed and watched Christen sleep soundly. She was rarely the one to wake up first so she always took advantage of the view when she did. She liked to watch Christen regardless of the situation, but there was something special and intimate about watching her girl sleep. Christen was lying on her stomach with her left hand on the pillow not far from Tobin’s face. She stared at that left hand with a smile. Christen had these long, slender, perfect fingers, and while normally that thought would lead her mind down a very dirty path, all that she could think about right now was how good one of those fingers would look wearing the ring that she had hidden in one of her Air Jordans.

The ring that she had picked out, admittedly a very long time ago, was perfect for Christen. Simple and stunning; unpretentious and beautiful, eye-catching without being flashy. She had taken several of her friends on exploratory ring finding missions, but she had somehow only been able to find the perfect ring while she was alone, mindlessly wandering the streets of Portland while she ate an ice cream cone on a cheat day.

She slowly and carefully slipped out of the bed and tiptoed to the living room, closing the bedroom door behind her. She looked down at her phone in her hand before she slid her thumb across the screen and found a number that had become familiar to her over the years.

“ _Tobin?_ ”

“Uh, hi, Mr. Press, how are you?” She questioned nervously.

“ _Tobin?_ ” He asked again. “ _Do you know that it’s six o’clock in the morning? Other than that, I’m fine._ ”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t realize. I can call back another time?”

“ _Tobin? Is something wrong?_ ”

“No, sir,” she answered slowly.

“ _Is Chris hurt?_ ”

“No, sir.”

“ _Did you do something to hurt her?_ ”

“No, sir, definitely not,” she answered quickly and passionately.

“ _Then why do you keep calling me sir?_ ” He asked in exasperation.

“Oh,” she chuckled weakly. She didn’t even realize that she had been doing it. She hadn’t called Cody Press “sir” one day in her life. With a certain question on her mind, she had fallen into some weird, old-fashioned default setting where she called her girlfriend’s father “sir” and “Mr. Press”, which was especially odd for a man that only wanted to be called “Big Daddy”. “I guess I’m just a little nervous,” she confessed.

“ _Nervous about what, Tobs?_ ”

Tobin hesitated to respond as she got the overwhelming urge to mindlessly kick something to distract herself.

“ _You don’t need to ask for my permission, Tobs,_ ” he added after the pause lingered for a beat too long.

She nervously licked her lips. “Permission for what?”

Cody Press chuckled deeply. “ _It’s a good thing you’re smooth on the field, Tobin Heath._ ” Tobin was very confused as he continued with a laugh. “ _You don’t need my permission to ask my daughter to marry you. Call me when she says yes!_ ”

Tobin was still very confused as she stared at her phone when Christen’s father ended their call. Was she really that obvious? Even over the phone?

She headed back to the bedroom, but before she slipped back into bed, she went to the walk-in closet.

“What’s wrong?” Christen asked sleepily as Tobin rejoined her in the bed.

Tobin shifted closer to her and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “Nothing, baby, nothing’s wrong. I just couldn’t sleep.”

Christen stretched, with her eyes still closed, and wrapped an arm around Tobin’s midsection. “Come here and snuggle with me,” she mumbled.

Tobin readily obliged and Christen rested her head on her chest, her cold nose pressing against the base of Tobin’s neck. Tobin casually laid the ring box in her hand on her abdomen and patiently waited for Christen’s hand to find it. 

It didn’t take very long at all.

Her hand moved across Tobin’s stomach and she lifted her head when she nudged the box with the tip of a finger. “What’s that?” She asked with her voice still tired and sleepy.

“It’s for you,” Tobin answered nonchalantly.

Their discussion of marriage and an engagement had opened the door for many more, and Tobin had mentally stowed away a lot of important details. Christen had decided that she didn’t want anything big or fancy – a “hoopla” had been her exact word. She didn’t care if Tobin had proposal plans or not. She had said that Tobin could propose to her while doing the dishes for all she cared. She had said that she just wanted the happily ever after part and that she didn’t care about anything else, and that had made Tobin’s heart thump so hard she had been worried about her ribcage.

So Tobin had waited for things to die down a little so that it could be just the two of them. She waited for them to play their last international friendlies of the year, for Christen to score her fiftieth international goal. She waited for the re-inc RWB line to drop. She waited until they travelled to South Africa, and then London. She waited for them to spend Thanksgiving apart, and now she was done waiting.

She wanted Christen Press to be her wife before Christmas.

Christen slowly sat up and looked down at Tobin suspiciously. She poked the ring box with her pointer finger and smiled softly. “Is that what I think it is?”

Tobin rested both of her hands behind her head and grinned excitedly. “I dunno,” she lied. “Why don’t you open it and see?”

Christen, while looking all soft and sleepy, and incredibly pretty, reached for the small box with both hands and brought it up to her face. She opened the box and then her small smile turned into one of her wide, uninhibited, goal-scoring smiles.

“Oh my gosh, Tobin,” she sighed. “It’s beautiful.”

“You like it?” She asked fretfully.

Christen leaned over, with a hand on Tobin’s chest, and kissed her soundly on the mouth. “I love it,” she spoke against her lips.

Tobin sighed in relief as she kissed her back. When she saw the ring, it had felt right. But she didn’t know anything about carat, or cut, or clarity, or anything like that.

Christen giggled when she pulled away from the kiss and she ran the hand that wasn’t holding the ring box down Tobin’s side. “Don’t you have to ask me something?”

“Oh, right.” She cleared her throat before she asked, “So, what are you doing this weekend?” Christen furrowed her brow and looked adorably confused. “Because if you’re not doing anything then I was thinking that you could marry me?”

The dark-haired girl smiled widely and leaned down for another kiss. “Tobin Heath has plans, doesn’t she?”

“Tobin Heath does have plans,” she confirmed with a grin. “Some may even call it a masterplan.” She threaded a hand through thick, dark hair as they continued to kiss, until she pulled away with a worried expression. “You really like it? Are you going to put it on?”

Christen sat up straight and presented the ring box to her with both hands. “Put it on me, please.”

Tobin gently removed the ring from the box and slipped it on Christen’s finger. She held that hand in hers and just stared. “Gorgeous,” she muttered. She brought Christen’s hand to her mouth so that she could place a kiss on it, and then she sighed happily. “It looks so good on you, baby.”

Christen continued to smile happily, but she seemed quite surprised when Tobin slipped out of bed and headed into the closet.

Tobin poked her head around the corner when she heard Christen whine, “Toby!” 

Christen only called her “Toby” when she _really_ wanted something – and it usually worked. It was a nickname that Tobin typically loathed, but when Christen said it, well that was an entirely different story. She was a sucker for a call of “Toby” in that cute, airy voice.

“What is it, baby?” She asked curiously.

Christen had laid back down on the bed, on her stomach. She had pushed the bedsheets aside so that her entire body was on display. She looked over her shoulder and she pushed her ass into the air, and said, “Come back to bed.”

Tobin looked at her shamelessly, her eyes entirely zeroed in on Christen’s backside. The panties that she was wearing weren’t even particularly sexy, just plain, blue cotton, but they hugged Christen’s curves perfectly. “That’s not fair,” she muttered as she rested her head on the doorframe of the walk-in closet.

“What’s not fair?” Christen asked innocently.

“We need to stay on schedule! My plans!”

“Can there be a flexible twenty or thirty minutes in your schedule?”

Tobin shook her head, but she took a step out of the closet. “This is selfish. You’re selfish.” She watched Christen’s expression change from a mischievous smile to one that was slightly offended, so she spoke before Christen could take her statement the wrong way. “You’re talented, and smart, and so sexy, and so cute. It’s selfish.”

Christen rolled her eyes and Tobin took another step forward.

“This is so distracting,” Tobin sighed with a laugh. “Why don’t you put on some clothes?”

Christen shook her head with a giggle and deliberately wiggled her butt. “We just got engaged, I’m supposed to be distracting.”

And Tobin took another step toward the bed.

“Very distracting,” she muttered to herself.

Christen smiled victoriously when Tobin sat on the edge of the mattress. She held Christen’s ankles in her hands and let her eyes trail over her smooth calves and thighs, skin that she had touched countless times, and yet still found so incredibly enticing. She felt Christen’s ankles twist in her hands, a sign that she had turned over, and it was Tobin’s turn to whine until she glanced up and saw that Christen had removed the tank top that she slept in.

“Maybe I could spare thirty minutes or so?”

Christen laughed as Tobin crawled up the bed towards her. “That’s what I thought.”

_If you're ready, like I'm ready_

Tobin kissed Christen’s naked shoulder and tangled their fingers together as they laid in bed. She stared at their hands – her right, Christen’s left – and she just couldn’t stop smiling. It felt a little bit like she was dreaming.

“You look good with this ring,” she whispered. “ _Only_ this ring.” 

Christen tossed her head back with a laugh. “Thank you. You have good taste.”

Tobin responded confidently, “Yeah, I do. I mean, have you seen how hot my fiancée is?” 

The forward played along with a shake of her head. “No, you’ll have to show me a picture.”

Tobin chuckled and buried her face in Christen’s neck. “Now, I need to get ready for our weekend so you need to get your beautiful ass out of bed.” She placed a kiss behind Christen’s ear before she added, “No more distractions. Got it?”

Christen propped herself up on her elbows and looked at her in disbelief. “Rigidly scheduled Tobin Heath is kinda moody.”

“Rigidly scheduled Tobin Heath just gave you three orgasms,” she shot back. “Don’t be mean to her.”

Christen kissed her before she stated, “Okay, stop talking in the third person now.”

“Tobin Heath kinda likes it,” she replied playfully.

“Does Tobin Heath ever want to see Christen Press naked again?”

Tobin nodded, slowly and seriously. “She does.”

“Then stop,” Christen giggled.

She pouted, just a little. “Tobin Heath is sad now.”

Christen shook her head with a laugh, but indulged her in one more kiss before she slipped out of the bed and grabbed a robe off of the back of the adjoining bathroom door. Tobin was a little disappointed that all of her beautiful skin and muscle disappeared, but at least it meant that she could focus again. She shifted onto her back and looked at the ceiling as she mentally reviewed her checklist.

As if reading her mind, Christen sat atop of the covers beside her and asked, “So, what exactly is your plan?”

Tobin grinned, knowing that she was not about to tell Christen everything. “I am going to get up and make you coffee and breakfast, you are going to do your morning yoga, and while you shower, I am going to pack our bags, and then we are going to get in the car.”

Christen looked so confused, and like she was bursting to ask a million questions. Tobin admired her restraint and couldn’t resist running a finger down her nose. “Tobin,” she began in a whisper, “you’re not going to tell me any more than that?”

Tobin shook her head. She had everything in order, and had for a couple of weeks now. She had their road trip route mapped out, gas in the car, and where they would stay overnight. She had their place booked at their final destination. She had their marriage license ready to go because apparently you could apply for those things online now. She knew exactly what she was going to pack. 

Christen may not have wanted to do anything big and lavish, so Tobin had arranged a series of little surprises.

“Let me do this for you, Chris.”

After a moment of thought, Christen nodded with a smile. “Okay,” she sighed. “I trust you. I will follow where you lead. Let’s get married.”

That’s all that Tobin had ever wanted to hear.

**II. Thinking Out Loud**

_And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_

Christen hopped into the passenger seat of her BMV and buckled her seat belt. She had taken a peek in the trunk to see that Tobin had only packed two small duffle bags emblazoned with USA Soccer. Tobin had also organized a playlist and prepared travel mugs of coffee.

Christen had never seen her girlfriend – now fiancée – so prepared for anything outside the realm of sport. She was actually really impressed, and could feel herself getting progressively more excited, especially with the way Tobin grinned when she buckled her own seatbelt and turned to face her.

“Ready?!”

“I think so,” she answered with a chuckle.

Tobin grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle kiss, something that she had done several times since giving her the lovely, white gold engagement ring with a square diamond and diamonds encrusted on the band as well. It wasn’t over the top and it didn’t look freakishly large on her hand. It really was beautiful. 

“I just love you a lot,” Tobin murmured.

Christen practically melted at her words. Tobin was such a romantic, even if she would never own up to it. “I love you too, Tobs.”

“Alright! Let’s hit the road!” Tobin exclaimed.

Christen paid attention to every turn that Tobin took until she got on the I-5 heading south, then she knew that they could be going anywhere down the coast, and she knew that Tobin would deflect or ignore any inquiring questions. She decided that it was best to be patient, so she pushed the seat back, kicked off her shoes, and rested her feet on the dash.

“Woah,” Tobin chuckled, “someone is getting comfortable.”

Christen shrugged. “Just humouring you.”

Tobin laughed and then gestured toward the glovebox. “Well if you look in there then you might find something to entertain you.” 

She raised an eyebrow in both suspicion and intrigue. Just what exactly had Tobin planned?

Christen reached into the glovebox and pulled out five square envelopes, all numbered and all decorated with drawings that she knew were Tobin Heath originals. The envelope on the very top of the stack, with a large number one in bright blue marker, had a cartoon style sketch of a dog that looked an awfully lot like Morena, chasing after a soccer ball.

“Tobin,” she cooed. “What is this?”

“Why don’t you open it and see?” The midfielder responded with a grin, her eyes still fixated on the road.

Christen did what Tobin suggested and read the question written on the card out loud. “What are five things we have in common? Oh,” she squealed excitedly, “this is like a game about us.” She surged across the console and planted a loud kiss on Tobin’s cheek. “This is really cute.”

Tobin just shrugged, like it was no big deal that she had planned this painfully romantic, sentimental, and personal gesture for their road trip to the unknown.

“So are you going to answer the question?” She asked teasingly.

“Oh!” Christen brought her pointer finger up to her chin before she began to count her responses off on her fingers. “Soccer, obviously. We both like our quiet time and the outdoors, even if I’m not crazy about the cold.” Tobin was nodding along to her responses so Christen continued. “Our families are both really important to us, and we both love to eat out at restaurants!” She finished triumphantly as she smacked the card off of her hand. “Your turn!”

“Okay,” Tobin began with a laugh. “Clearly we’re both competitive.”

Christen realized that she was feeling a little competitive, but she really couldn’t help it. And neither could Tobin. Tobin was infinitely more competitive than her, but she was not about to say that out loud in this moment.

“And we both like the colour orange. I think we both like to have sex in the morning,” she grinned.

Christen grinned as well because she was right. In their relationship, Christen had turned her early morning energy, which she usually directed towards yoga and chores, towards another area of physical pursuit. She would regularly wake Tobin up with soft kisses and wandering hands - a kiss to her brow, her collarbone, her abdomen, even further south if she was feeling really mischievous. And Tobin had grown to love lazy, early morning sex. She said that it made her feel spoiled.

Christen reached for Tobin’s right hand, which was resting on the gear shift, and entwined their fingers. “What else?”

“I think we’re both kind.” Christen hummed in agreement so she continued, “And we’re both very aware that what we’re trying to do is bigger than football, and I think that’s important.” 

Christen felt very warm all of a sudden, and she was absolutely certain that it wasn’t because of the heat in the car. Tobin’s words just did that to her sometimes, even when she expected it. “That’s a good list,” she whispered.

“Okay, open the next one!”

Christen carefully tucked the card back into the envelope, knowing that she was going to keep these, before she shuffled to the envelope clearly marked with a two. This one’s drawing was a little, cartoon Tobin, complete with soccer socks slipping down her calves, a big smile, and a messy ponytail, with a heart literally beating out of her chest.

“In what ways has our relationship changed you?” She read.

She paused thoughtfully. That was a hard question to answer in full, articulate sentences. There was a reason that this was the happiest that she had ever been. Tobin had changed her in so many ways, big and small.

“I think,” she began tentatively, “I’ve just become happier. You’ve made me a better player because you’re such a good teammate and you’ve made me a better player because you’ve allowed me to take my career different places. As a partner, you make me more patient, and relaxed, and fun. I am so comfortable with who I am when I’m with you, and I wasn’t before, not truly.”

She heard Tobin exhale loudly before she responded. “If I wasn’t driving right now I would kiss the crap out of you.”

Christen giggled and leaned over again to give Tobin a kiss on the cheek. “Your turn again.”

“Can I tell you a story about it instead? From when we first got together?”

Christen nodded and began to listen attentively.

**III. All of Me**

_What's going on in that beautiful mind_

Christen exhaled heavily and gripped the back of her neck tightly with both hands. Tobin pressed their foreheads together and did her best to tamp down her smug grin as she held herself above the younger girl with both hands. She knew that Christen was having difficulty breathing because her orgasm had hit her so hard; she had practically screamed.

“I’ve never come that way before,” she finally confessed shyly.

Tobin grinned, completely boastful, and kissed her skillfully, her hand moving to cup Christen’s cheek. The longer they kissed, the more Tobin’s grin widened. She wanted to make Christen come every single way that she knew how, on every surface of this apartment. 

“I would love to stay and do it again, but I have to go.”

Christen nodded in understanding and gave her a quick, final kiss.

Tobin reluctantly got out of the bed and began to gather her clothes to redress.

“Is it okay that Alex invited me out with you guys tonight?”

Tobin turned around as she zippered and buttoned her jeans. “Of course!” She thought that was a pretty odd question. Whenever national team members were in the same city, they always got together for at least dinner or a drink. Obviously, when Tobin had texted Alex that she was in Los Angeles, the invitation was extended, and it included several others, but it just so happened that the only people that could go out tonight were her, Alex, Allie, and Christen. And yeah, Alex and Allie were two of her very best friends, but Christen was… _Christen._

Christen still looked incredibly apprehensive, and frankly, really sexy, as she held her bed sheet to her chest with her hair down and chaotic. “It’s really fine, Chris,” Tobin assured her. She pulled her t-shirt over her head before she sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you nervous or something?” She asked with a laugh. 

The raven-haired girl nodded. “A little, I guess. We’ve been in a bit of an off-season bubble, Tobs. We stay in my apartment, and we go to the beach, and we kick the ball around, and that’s about it. We haven’t really been around any of our family or friends since we…” She trailed off and gestured between them. “You don’t think it will be awkward or anything?”

Tobin chuckled and shook her head. “No, of course not.”

“What are we going to tell them?” Christen asked before she nervously chewed on her bottom lip.

“We don’t have to tell them anything,” she shrugged. “We’re having fun and that’s none of their business. See ya later.” She kissed Christen again before she bounced off of the bed and headed for the door.

It didn’t even hit her that maybe she had said the wrong thing until she was walking down the street and realized that Christen hadn’t said goodbye.

_My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues_

“Tobin? Tobs, are you ready to go? Tobin?”

“Harry?!”

Tobin finally turned her head at the sound of her odd, yet familiar nickname. She looked at Allie with both of her eyebrows raised. “Were you saying something?”

Allie laughed while Alex rolled her eyes. “ _I_ was saying,” the striker began in annoyance, “are you ready to go?”

Tobin furrowed her brow in uncertainty before she remembered that she had told Alex that she would crash at her LA apartment tonight. But she was hesitant. She looked over her shoulder again, to where Christen was at the bar, settling her bill. 

Tobin couldn’t stop staring because she was far too gay not to look at Christen’s legs and backside in that little black dress and heels. She looked _so_ good.

“Give it up, Harry,” Allie laughed.

“What?” She asked in confusion, with just a hint of a pout.

“You lost that bartender as soon as Pressy walked through the door,” Alex provided. “She’s been looking at her all night.”

“What?” She asked again.

“Jesus Tobin!” Alex laughed loudly. “Not every girl in the world is into you. Take the loss and go home.”

Tobin was still confused, but she was slowly piecing it all together. “The bartender is flirting with Chris?”

“She’s a slow learner, but she learns,” Allie teased. 

Alex and Allie began to tell her all about how they had watched the pretty blonde bartender watch Christen all night, while she chatted in a booth with them and while she and Allie danced. She had taken more time than necessary to prepare Christen’s drink orders just so she could talk to her, and she was really dragging out the process of Christen actually giving her the money for all those drinks. Her friends thought that she was disappointed because the bartender hadn’t shown _her_ any attention, and they were so far off base, but the assumption made sense due to the trio spending several nights out in Portland when Tobin was the only single one between them.

And they didn’t know that she and Christen were… well, that they were…

Tobin swallowed uncomfortably as she turned back towards the bar and watched Christen laugh as she trailed the index finger of her right hand along the bar top. She watched those dark curls bounce as Christen smiled and nodded, and Tobin knew by her body language that she was flirting back. She was flirting, and she was tipsy, and Tobin had been dumb enough today to verbally define their relationship as “having fun”. That made their connection seem so trivial and casual, like it was just about having sex and lying on the beach, but it wasn’t. At all.

But Tobin hadn’t gotten the chance to tell her that yet. 

“I should really just—” 

But she was interrupted when Allie grabbed her hand and began to lead her towards the door of the small bar. “Come on, Harry, time to go. We really don’t want to be those friends that linger a little too long when it’s obvious that one of them is going to get laid.”

Tobin’s eyes widened in a panic. “What? No. No one is getting laid.” She tried to turn back around, but Alex firmly held her shoulders.

Instead of fighting her friends, she fished her phone out of her pocket and fired off several quick texts.

_I’m sorry I’m an idiot._

_Can I see you tomorrow?_

_*kissing face emoji*_

_Do you think that bartender is pretty?_

A frown was firmly in place during the walk back to Alex’s apartment when all of her messages went unanswered.

_Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts_

Tobin knocked on Christen’s apartment door bright and early, and forced a happy smile when Christen answered. “Did I wake you up?”

Christen just nodded as she rubbed at her eyes and pushed the door open with her foot so that Tobin could come in. Tobin’s eyes carefully trailed over Christen and her apartment, looking for any sort of sign that she had really and truly screwed things up between them. Christen looked sleepy and adorable in her shorts and long sleeve, but she didn’t look like she just had a night of wild sex. There also weren’t any clothes strewn about her apartment, or strange coats lying around, or half empty wine glasses on the coffee table. And it didn’t sound like there was currently anyone else in the apartment.

“Are you hungover?”

“Uh huh,” Christen answered in a husky voice. “I don’t drink a lot. My head really hurts,” she whined, “and I have to pee.”

“Why don’t I make you some coffee?” Tobin offered considerately.

Christen managed to nod before she padded towards her bathroom.

Tobin approached the kitchen counter and set herself to work brewing coffee before a stray napkin caught her eye. She grabbed it to throw it in the garbage until she realized that something was written on it.

_Christen,  
Thanks so much for  
making my shift better.  
I loved talking to you.  
Please call me.  
-Claire  
p.s. you are crazy beautiful_

And then there was a phone number.

Tobin felt stubborn tears sting the back of her eyes and she pushed the napkin away from her.

“Is there coffee?”

Tobin nodded, but didn’t turn around. She took a deep breath and clenched her fists before she asked, “Did I fuck this up already?”

“You didn’t try to make me a latte, did you?”

Tobin spun around to face her and slowly shook her head. “I’m not talking about the coffee,” she muttered.

Christen was now the one with her back to her as she pulled a mug down from a cupboard. Tobin couldn’t help herself, she had to touch her. She stepped up behind her and wrapped her arms around Christen’s waist and rested her chin on her shoulder. “Can you throw away her number, please?” She asked in a murmur that could only be described as sad and pathetic.

Christen tensed in her arms. “Ah, I understand why you’re here so early now.” She poured herself a cup of coffee before she asked, “Why does it matter?”

“It matters.” Christen sighed loudly, and Tobin knew that she needed to be much more clear and direct. “I’m sorry that I’m dumb and I said that we were just having fun. That’s not what I meant. I mean, we are having fun. Lots of fun. But I want to be the only person that you have fun with.”

The dark-haired forward sighed again before she turned in Tobin’s arms and held her face with both hands. “It really hurt my feelings when you said that.” 

Tobin nodded in understanding. “I’m really sorry.”

“And that bartender thought I was really cute.”

“That’s because you are really cute,” she grinned.

“But I’m serious about you, Tobin,” Christen exhaled while poking Tobin’s sternum with her finger.

“I’m serious about you too!”

“And you don’t get to just be jealous and possessive, and then do whatever you want. _That_ is not the way this is gonna work,” Christen stated firmly.

Tobin nodded repeatedly and kept her eyes wide and attentive. She had never seen this side of Christen before, so strict and stern. It was a little scary, and totally sexy.

“Definitely not,” she confirmed. “I am yours.”

Christen fisted her hand in Tobin’s shirt and yanked her forward with a grin. “Yeah. You are.”

_All your perfect imperfections_

“And what did you learn from that?” Christen asked curiously once Tobin had finished.

“That I need to be more clear about my feelings. That I need to choose my words better,” she chuckled. “That I need to show _and_ tell people how I feel about them. That’s how you’ve changed me the most, I’m so much better at letting the people that matter to me know that I care about them.” Christen sighed loudly, and it was a happy sigh, a contented sigh. Tobin squeezed her hand before she added, “And I am a little jealous, but I think I’ve gotten better!”

Christen scoffed and she knew that Tobin could see a smug grin out of her peripheral vision. “You’re still pretty possessive, honey,” she said.

“But I’ve gotten better!”

Christen gave her another kiss on the cheek and this one was definitely placating. “I’m going to forget about the man at the Grassroots Gala that you wouldn’t stop glaring at.”

“ _He_ wouldn’t stop staring at you,” she countered. “It was gross and rude.”

Christen chuckled, and Tobin knew that it was also a little appeasing, but she also knew exactly how to deal with Tobin’s jealous moods. It was a subject that they had discussed at length, talking about her insecurities, and where they came from, and Christen’s tendency to sometimes flirt without even realizing it. It was never the focal point of their relationship or one that resulted in a lot of conflict. Tobin didn’t have a malicious, violent, or selfish bone in her body, so she rarely reacted completely irrationally. If Tobin got a little miffed because she caught someone staring at her girlfriend for a little too long or if someone said something that could be taken as a pickup line, it always resulted in incredibly passionate sex. She would become teasing, and affectionate, and clingy.

And Christen liked it nine times out of ten. She had no problem reminding Tobin that she was hers. 

She pulled Tobin’s hand to her mouth this time. “I’m yours,” she smiled.

“Yeah, you are!” Tobin exclaimed enthusiastically.

**IV. Because The Night**

_Pull me close, try and understand_

Christen was startled as Tobin squeezed her shoulder. She shifted in her seat and blinked her bleary eyes. She looked at her watch before she stretched her arms above her head. “I must have dozed,” she muttered to herself as she pieced together that she had been asleep for over an hour, and they had been driving for over five. “Where are we?” She asked in confusion.

Tobin, who had already shifted the gear into park, leaned over and kissed her on the temple. “We are outside of Newell.”

“We’re in California?” She asked excitedly.

Tobin smiled widely. “We are, and we’re staying here for the night.”

Christen nodded slowly. She had already accepted that she was going to try to go with the flow of Tobin’s “masterplan”, however difficult it truly was for her. So far it had been wonderful, and fun, and romantic. And very Tobin.

“Let’s take our bags in and then we can get something to eat.”

Christen followed along, still a tad disoriented from her car nap. She walked behind Tobin and slowly realized that they were at some kind of roadside motel. She was thankful that this one didn’t look like the set of a horror movie. It was cute with little cottages, so no attached walls, and there was a big, main office building and a restaurant.

Tobin, after picking up their room key, led her to their cottage for the night and held the door open for her. “My lady,” she said with a cheesy wink.

Christen skipped inside with a smile and took everything in. Tobin closed the door behind them and laid down their bags as Christen continued to inspect the room. The bed looked big and comfortable, and that was certainly the centerpiece of the room.

“This is really cute, Tobin.”

Christen smiled to herself when she felt two hands on her hips and a kiss on her cheek. “I’m really glad you like it.”

“You’re still not going to tell me where we’re going, are you?”

“Not a chance,” she chirped.

Tobin laughed as she tugged her out of the room and led her to the restaurant. They found a cozy booth on the bar side, and Tobin took advantage of the privacy and a virtually empty room. They sat on the same side of the booth and Tobin sat close enough to place a kiss on Christen’s neck.

“I’m really craving a burger and fries,” the midfielder whispered. “Do you want your cheat meal?”

Christen nodded, and then added with an innocent smile. “Can I have some of your fries?”

Tobin dramatically rolled her eyes before she slid out of the booth and walked towards the bar. Christen laughed to herself and watched Tobin interact with the young male, tattooed bartender. They were clearly joking about something and when Tobin returned, with two bottles of beer, she still had a grin on her face. She didn’t sit down though, she skipped back to the bar and returned again with two shots of tequila.

Christen looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she slid back into the booth. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” She asked playfully.

Tobin answered with a laugh, “No, just thought it would be fun.” She leaned in to place a frisky kiss on the corner of Christen’s jaw. “Remember the first time I bought you a tequila shot?”

Christen felt blood instantly rush to her face. “Yes,” she admitted reluctantly. “I got _very_ tipsy.”

“You were drunk,” Tobin corrected as she ran a hand through Christen’s hair. “And you were cute, and all I wanted to do was kiss you.”

Christen continued to blush as she thought about the Algarve Cup final, the goal that she had scored, and the celebrations that had followed that night. “I was so embarrassed when I woke up the next morning. I thought that I had made my crush on you very obvious.”

“I’m pretty oblivious, or so I’ve been told,” Tobin joked.

“That is true,” Christen agreed.

“Hey,” Tobin whined with a pout. “I’ve made plenty of moves in this relationship, thank you very much. I just proposed. I asked you to move in. I said ‘I love you’ first.”

“I kissed you first!” Christen countered.

“Touché,” Tobin muttered.

“Come on,” she chuckled. “Let’s do this shot.”

_Because the night belongs to lovers_

Christen was once again a little tipsy as they made their way back to their room, but so was Tobin, as was evident by her wandering hands. Once through the door, Tobin slipped both of her hands into the back pockets of Christen’s jeans and buried her face in her neck.

“Did you bring the envelopes in from the car?” She asked against her skin.

Christen hummed in response. “Yeah, they’re in my purse.”

“Now is a good time to open number three.”

Christen wanted to stay exactly where she was, in Tobin’s arms, but her curiosity was now piqued. If Tobin was willing to interrupt what was slowly becoming a make out session, then it had to be good.

She wriggled out of Tobin’s hold and grabbed her purse off of the bedside table. She brandished the envelope with a grin before she looked down at the detailed drawing of their bedroom. “Is this one naughty?” She asked mischievously.

Tobin shrugged, but her face gave her away.

She carefully opened the envelope and read the card with a smirk. “Are you comfortable talking about what you like in bed?” She stepped up to Tobin and grabbed a fistful of her hooded sweater. “You know what I like,” she spoke in a voice that had lowered an octave.

“I do,” Tobin smirked confidently.

“Tell me.”

Tobin’s smirk became more self-assured and her eyes darkened, like that was exactly the response she had expected. “You like this,” she replied, “when I talk to you, and tell you what I’m going to do and what I want to do. And you like it when I kiss you here,” she said as she touched the spot just below Christen’s left ear. “And you like being cuddled afterwards. And you like it when I tell you what to do,” she added in a faint whisper. “You’re such a good girl for me.”

Christen shivered and practically fell into her fiancée. That was not something that she ever talked about outside of the bedroom, but it was definitely true, and Tobin always knew just when it would send her over the edge. She cupped Tobin’s face with both hands to give her a passionate kiss, and then she pulled away slowly.

“My turn now,” she said breathlessly. Tobin groaned and followed Christen across the room. “You,” she began as she grabbed Tobin’s forearm and led her towards the bed, “love to watch me undress.”

Tobin nodded and perched herself on the end of the bed. Tobin _loved_ to watch.

Christen pulled her crewneck over her head before she dropped her hands to the waistband of her old jeans. She knew that she popped the button and pulled the zipper down at an exaggeratedly slow pace, but it was fun to watch Tobin so engrossed in her movements. She pushed the fabric down over her hips, just an inch or two, before she turned around. Something had possessed her to wear a thong this morning and she knew, in this moment, that Tobin would greatly appreciate it.

She would have never been brave enough to do this in any other relationship. But it was the security and safety, and that look of love in Tobin’s eyes whenever she looked at her, that allowed her to be uncharacteristically bold, and frisky.

“Chris,” Tobin groaned loudly.

She didn’t even need to turn her head to see the expression on Tobin’s face – full of want, and desire, and restraint. “You can touch me, baby.”

Christen had barely finished the sentence before she was pulled backwards by the hips. She landed in Tobin’s lap with a giggle. “Trying to tease?” Tobin husked in her ear.

Christen shook her head and replied in a whisper, “No. Lie back on the bed and I won’t tease.”

Tobin’s arms dropped from around her waist and she did what was asked of her without complaint. Christen stood back up and put on a bit of a show to remove her remaining clothing until she was down to just her bra and thong. She grabbed the ankles of Tobin’s joggers and began to tug them down her legs. Her fiancée graciously helped her out by flinging her snapback across the room and whipping her sweater over her head.

She knelt between Tobin’s legs and gathered her hair to pull it to one side. As usual, she had to suppress the urge to pull her hair up with the hair tie around her wrist. She knew that Tobin loved to look down, between her legs, and see her dark curls, and thread her hands through it. The older girl had practically begged her to leave her hair down the very first time that they had done this.

She did know exactly what Tobin liked, and she was about to show her.

She pulled Tobin’s black Calvins down her legs and settled on her stomach. She nuzzled Tobin’s thigh before she went immediately to where Tobin ached for her. No teasing, just like she had promised.

The midfielder arched off of the bed and was quick to tangle one of her hands in dark hair. “God, Chris, that’s so good.”

Christen wrapped her arms around Tobin’s thighs and pulled her closer, also spreading her wider. She took long, broad strokes with her tongue until she refocused on her clit. She felt Tobin’s fingers tighten in her hair and then start to massage her scalp. That motion made her hum in approval and the new sensation made Tobin buck.

Christen giggled and flicked Tobin’s clit with just the tip of her tongue. “Babe, please,” she groaned.

She shifted to kiss along the line of Tobin’s pelvis so that she could say, “I know what you want, honey.” She glanced up at her, knowing that Tobin found a little eye contact completely stimulating, before she brought her mouth back to her partner’s center and focused on where she was most sensitive. Tobin groaned, and sighed, and shuddered, and fell back against the mattress and pillows with a loud ‘oof’.

The raven-haired girl licked at her gently before she joined her at the top of the bed, settling one thigh between her legs, to give her a little bit of friction, and brushing her cheek with her thumb. She placed a soft kiss on Tobin’s lips that Tobin, who still had a hand tangled in her hair, promptly deepened. Tobin kissed her with tongue and quickly sucked her bottom lip in between her own lips as her free hand _slowly_ ran down her back until she was cupping her butt.

“Yeah,” the older woman murmured against her mouth, “you know what I like.”

Christen laughed against her lips and continued to kiss her.

_Because the night belongs to us_

When they were sweaty and spent, and cuddled up, Tobin trailed a finger along her jawline and stared at her fondly. She stared as if she was taking all of Christen’s features in for the first time. “I love you,” she finally sighed.

“I love you too,” Christen smiled.

“And you want to marry me tomorrow?”

She nodded eagerly and wrapped her arm tighter around Tobin’s back. “Yeah,” she sighed wistfully. “I do.”

“Then it will be pretty obvious that we’re together,” Tobin chuckled.

Christen rolled her eyes. “We live together. It’s already obvious. We’re just private,” she added with a shrug.

Tobin agreed with a nod and leaned in for a kiss. “I like keeping you to myself.”

Christen gave into the kiss before she slipped out of the bed and asked over her shoulder, “Did you pack me pajamas?”

“I did,” Tobin responded as she comfortably settled in the bed and, without a doubt, watched her move about the room naked.

Christen ruffled through the duffle bag with the number twenty-three stamped on the side and found two distinct categories of clothing for her to sleep in. “Tobs?”

“Yeah, babe?” The woman called from the bed.

“You packed me lingerie and UNC shirts?” She turned back towards the bed and held the clothing items up in both of her hands. “Explain, please.”

“I love you in lingerie and Tar Heels shirts?” She offered simply, with a touch of a question in her voice.

Christen laughed with a shake of her head before she tossed her lingerie back in her bag and pulled the blue t-shirt over her head. “I’ll save the lingerie for tomorrow night,” she announced as she crawled back into bed.

Tobin pulled her closer by the hips and grinned. “I like the sound of that.”

Christen smiled while threading a hand through Tobin’s hair and dipping her head down for what felt like the thousandth kiss of the night. “We should get some sleep, huh?” She whispered. “Do you wanna be up early tomorrow morning?” She began to massage Tobin’s scalp, knowing how much she loved that, and Tobin leaned into her touch like a cat starved for attention. Mesmerized by the motion, Tobin seemed to forget the question entirely. “Tobin?” Christen laughed.

Tobin’s eyes shot open and she wore a dopey smile. “What was that?”

Christen laughed again before she posed the same question. “Do you wanna be up early tomorrow morning?”

“Oh, yeah,” she answered slowly. “We probably should.”

“Then let’s sleep.”

Tobin nodded and pulled her down so that she settled atop of her chest. Christen shifted until she was comfortable and nuzzled at the base of Tobin’s throat. Tobin was obviously feeling a little clingy tonight, but she loved it. She felt the same way and it was like they couldn’t get enough of each other.

And they weren’t even newlyweds yet.

**V. I Choose You**

_The very first words of a lifelong love letter_

The next morning, Tobin packed the car again and grabbed two coffees to go and then, with Christen’s hand in hers, they were back on the road. She was getting a little antsy to get to their final destination at this point, but at least she knew they would be there in just over four hours. And then they could settle into their room. And then they could get married. She thrummed her hands on the wheel in excitement just thinking about it.

“What are you doing?” Christen laughed.

“Just excited,” she chuckled.

“Oh yeah, and what could you possibly be excited about?” Christen teased.

“I’m not sure,” Tobin answered with a smile. “Maybe I just have a feeling that it will be a good day.”

Christen laughed again and reached for the little envelopes in her purse. The ones that Tobin had spent hours preparing and illustrating.

“I should warn you,” Tobin began, “today’s are a little more serious.”

“That’s okay,” Christen answered without hesitation. “We’re serious about each other, it’s fine.”

Tobin listened to the rustling of the envelope before Christen read the fourth card out loud.

“When conflict arises, do you tend to want to fight or avoid it?” Christen hummed before she jumped right into answering the question. “We don’t fight a lot,” she started, and Tobin nodded. 

Every now and then Christen would yell at her to put her cleats in the closet or ask her in an irritated voice if she planned on doing the dishes any time soon, but that was about it. They had fought when Christen had told her that she was moving to play in Sweden, but that had been a very unique circumstance. They were a happy couple; they were flirty, and touchy, and wrapped up in each other whenever they were in the same room, and they had been that way as friends. 

Most importantly, confrontation wasn’t exactly in Tobin’s DNA.

Christen must have been thinking exactly that when she spoke, “I think you shut down. You want to avoid it until you feel so much that it just spills out.”

Tobin nodded and murmured, “I think that’s true.” She could think of a lot of moments where she just blurted something out because it had been weighing on her for so long. “I don’t like fighting with you at all; I don’t like hurting your feelings in any way.”

Christen reached across the console and stroked the side of her face. “I know, baby, and I love that about you.”

“I love that you make me talk things out though. You give me enough space, but you don’t let me hide.”

“Am I argumentative sometimes?” Christen asked curiously.

“Sometimes,” she answered honestly. “When something is already bothering you, and you’re, like, really good with words so you’re good at arguing.”

Christen laughed and the melodious sound filled the car. “Well that wasn’t so hard,” she declared happily.

_And I believe in something again_

They relaxed and listened to some music before Tobin encouraged Christen to open envelope number five.

“Am I gonna like this one?” She asked with a cute little smile.

“Yeah, I think you will,” she grinned.

The forward tore into the envelope excitedly, well as excitedly as she could while keeping every edge intact. She loved watching Christen open presents for the very same reason.

Tobin began to worry when the envelope was open and several minutes had passed, and Christen had yet to say anything. Maybe her idea behind the fifth envelope was a little too heavy? A little off base? Maybe in the car on the way to elope wasn’t the best place to have this conversation?

Her mind was racing in a panic until she heard Christen sigh, “Tobs, I wanna have a football team with you.”

It was Tobin’s turn to laugh loudly. “Read the question out loud, Chris.”

“One day in our future, do you want children? If so, how many?”

“So?” Tobin probed. “That’s a yes then?”

“Big yes.”

Tobin felt something flutter in her chest and she had absolutely no control over the feeling. She loved kids and she could already imagine how happy it would make her to have kids with Christen. She could easily imagine a house full of giggles, kicking the ball around in the backyard, and Christen holding a curly haired toddler with big, bright eyes.

“How many?” She asked quietly.

“I loved growing up with siblings, and I know you did too, so at least two, maybe three,” Christen answered quickly. She had obviously thought about this before.

Tobin grabbed Christen’s left hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “Sounds perfect.” 

_I get to be the other half of you_

About an hour outside of their final destination, Christen pieced together where they were headed.

“We’re going to Lake Tahoe, aren’t we?”

Tobin’s broad grin answered the question for her. “Yeah, we are,” she finally relented. “I thought that it would be a nice road trip, a nice getaway, with snow and a fireplace, and privacy.”

Christen let out a sound of contentment as she burrowed into the passenger seat. For a high energy person, Christen was surprisingly good at relaxing – it was a skill that she had practiced – and therefore, Tobin knew that she would appreciate a weekend that didn’t actually have a jam-packed schedule of events. They could spend the majority of their time in their room for all she cared. Tobin’s priority was spending quality time with her soon-to-be wife. 

“What else do you have planned?” Christen inquired.

“Well,” Tobin spoke as she really dragged out the word. “I have a minister lined up for the evening so you should probably start writing some vows.” Christen scoffed and Tobin’s eyes widened. “And what is that noise for?”

Christen turned her head and smiled widely. “You say that as if it will be hard for me, as if I haven’t loved you forever.”

Her breath hitched and then she exhaled loudly. “Shit. Your vows are going to be so much better than mine.”

The dark-haired woman laughed and playfully pushed her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll be fine, you’re the romantic after all.”

Tobin was about to offer a rebuttal to that statement when Christen gasped, loudly. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“What am I going to wear?” She asked, and the panic was evident in her voice.

“First of all, you look gorgeous in everything. Second of all, I packed you a few options. Some dresses you like.”

Christen oriented her entire body towards Tobin and asked eagerly, “What are you wearing?”

Tobin laughed lightly because Christen liked to get all dolled up, but she had never sounded so interested in wardrobe choices before. “I brought slacks and this grey shirt I like.” She shrugged as she elaborated, a little insecurely, “I just wanted to be comfortable.”

“No, babe, that sounds great,” Christen responded with a comforting squeeze of her hand.

Tobin finally saw the sign for the exit that she needed and fresh exhilaration filled her body. She drove carefully, trying not to let her excitement out on the gas pedal, but she definitely drove a tad over the speed limit, just to get there a tiny bit faster.

She pulled into the parking lot of the beautiful resort slowly and watched Christen out of the corner of her eye for her reaction. It was stunning with its brick and wood exterior, there was no denying that, but she just hoped that Christen would like it.

**VI. A Thousand Years**

_Every hour has come to this_

Christen stepped into their room in this gorgeous resort with an expression of awe. It was definitely less of a hotel room and more of an upscale apartment. To her left there was a large, modern kitchen where they could cook their own meals if they wished, and there was a dining table and living room to her right. As she continued to walk forward she got a full view of the bedroom – a king sized bed and a fireplace with a door leading to a balcony. Everything was clean and modern, and gorgeous, with a striking blend of bright colours and rustic decor and furniture.

She quickly spun on her heel and grabbed Tobin by the waist. “Tobin,” she whispered before she kissed her. “This is amazing.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Tobin smiled as she brushed her hair behind her ears.

“I _love_ it.” Their career made it so they could experience nice things every now and then, but this was something entirely new and different. A part of her wanted to lock the door and never leave.

But they had somewhere to be.

She trailed her hand across Tobin’s abdomen as she took a step to the side. “I have to go get ready,” she grinned.

Tobin grinned back. “I’ll leave you to get gorgeous and then I’ll come back.”

Christen then headed into the bathroom, which was just as pristine as the rest of the villa, with big sinks and a shower with all glass walls. She hopped in the shower and took her time washing up and shaving before she began the rest of her routine.

She heard the door to the room open and close, signalling Tobin’s return, and by that time she was dressed and ready to go. She had left her hair in big, loose curls, and she had decided on a pale pink dress that she actually hadn’t worn in a while. If you didn’t look too closely, at first glance it appeared white, and it fell to the middle of her thigh. It was strapless and had a neckline that gave her a nice amount of cleavage. She had forgotten how comfortable it was and how much she liked it, and yet Tobin had known to pack it for her. 

She stepped out of the bathroom and found Tobin sitting on the couch in her slacks and shirt, her honey brown hair flowing down her shoulders, looking effortlessly attractive.

Tobin lifted her head slowly and a smile spread across her face. “Wow.”

Christen reached out, with a smile of her own, and offered her hand. “Ready?”

Tobin stood up and entwined their fingers. “Been ready for a while.”

_And all along I believed I would find you_

Tobin led her down a short hiking trail to a small, picturesque lake. The sun had just set, but the moon was giving off enough light to create a reflection off of the water, and it was a little chilly, and for once she didn’t care. She was thrilled that they were going to say “I do” outside. She knew that Tobin’s faith was very strongly connected to the outdoors and she hoped that she could feel a little piece of her Mom today.

And she knew that Tobin had most likely considered both of those things.

Christen looked up to see a middle-aged woman waiting for them at the end of trail. She had to be the minister that Tobin had recruited to perform their short service.

“You must be Tobin and Christen?” She asked with a soft smile.

Tobin nodded eagerly and Christen could feel her increase the pace of her stride. They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, and then the minister, Sheila, smiled softly again.

“Tobin said you would want the short and sweet version?”

Christen looked at Tobin with a smile of her own and nodded shyly. “I just want to be married.”

Sheila chuckled, “Okay, then. Shall we?”

Tobin nodded eagerly again, and Christen couldn’t stop herself from laughing at her reaction. All that her fiancée seemed capable of in this moment was that cute, eager, puppy-like nod.

“And you have some vows prepared?”

“Oh yeah, we do.” Tobin cleared her throat before she spoke again, “I can start?” Sheila nodded and Tobin cleared her throat again before she positioned herself to face Christen and pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket. “Now?”

Sheila nodded again and Christen smiled encouragingly. If she didn’t know any better, she would say that Tobin was nervous.

“Okay,” Tobin started again, but she had a hint of her signature smile this time. “I have always had soccer, and soccer has given me _everything_. It has given me peace and purpose, a career, and a platform. But more important than any of that, soccer has given me you, and I will forever be grateful for that. But while I was lost in soccer, you loved me, and I’m sorry that it took me a little longer to figure it all out, but I’m caught up now.” Tobin glanced up from her paper and seemed to have regained some of her confidence. “Christen, I love you, and I respect you, and I adore you. I am in awe of you, and I want to keep loving you for the rest of my life and showing you how incredibly special you are.” She folded the piece of paper back up again and stuffed it in her pants before she exhaled with a proud smile.

Nothing that Tobin had said was new to her, but hearing it all together like that was a little overpowering. She took a deep, rattling breath of her own before she spoke. She hadn’t written anything down, but words had been in her heart for years.

“Tobin, there are so many things that I love about you. I love the way you believe in me. I love the way you frustrate me. I love the way you look at me. But mostly, I love the way you see the world and, somehow, you picked me to be an important part of your world, and I’ve never met anyone like you, not even close. And I am so,” she sighed, “in love with you, and I can’t wait to be your wife in a few minutes.”

Tobin laughed at that and energetically bounced on her heels. She turned to Sheila with a big, happy grin. “Are we married yet?”

The minister laughed along with them. “Not quite. Tobin said you don’t have rings yet, so we’ll get to the ‘I Dos’.”

There was no hesitation on either of their parts when it came to that important part of the ceremony. They both essentially answered the question before it was even finished.

“By the power invested in me, by God and the state of California, I now pronounce you married.”

Tobin gently pulled her in by the elbows and she placed both of her hands on Tobin’s cheeks for their first kiss as a married couple. Their mouths met softly and then Christen gave her bottom lip a playful nip before she pulled away with a giggle.

“Congratulations,” Sheila offered with a genuine smile. “You two make a beautiful couple. Why don’t we go inside to find a witness and sign the paperwork?”

Tobin nodded in agreement and grabbed Christen’s hand to lead them back up the trail to the resort. 

**VII. Wedding Dress**

_In your wedding dress_

With their signatures fresh on a marriage license, they returned to their room to find a treat on their coffee table. There was a platter of fruit, meats, and cheeses, and two bottles of champagne that Christen gravitated towards with a grin.

It was no secret that her girl loved champagne.

“Champagne!” She squeaked happily.

Tobin merely chuckled as she wrapped both arms around her waist and began to slowly sway. Christen already looked so happy and gorgeous, and now she was going to get that rosy cheeked glow that champagne always gave her. “I’ll pour you a glass,” she murmured and punctuated it with a kiss to her neck.

Tobin popped one of the bottles, a feeling that never got old, and carefully poured two glasses. She took a seat on the couch next to Christen, who was already munching on the food laid out in front of them.

Christen accepted the flute of champagne with a grin. “Are we toasting? To us?”

Tobin rolled her eyes because she knew that Christen was subtly poking fun at her. In retaliation, she snaked a hand towards her abdomen and tickled her side, enough to get a reaction out of her, but not enough to spill her champagne. Her new wife squirmed away quickly and held a hand out in warning. “What?” She asked innocently.

“If you want me to do that thing you like tonight then you will stop right now.”

Tobin licked her lips slowly. That was a very effective threat. “What thing?” She probed.

Christen raised an eyebrow in challenge. “You know,” she whispered.

“Didn’t you do that last night, baby?” Tobin retorted cockily.

“Shut up,” Christen retorted playfully as she shoved Tobin’s leg with her bare foot.

Tobin laughed and slowly leaned in for a long, sweet kiss. She gave Christen two quick pecks before she pulled away, but sat so that Christen was half in her lap, with an arm around her waist and Christen’s legs across her thighs.

They talked, and ate, and drank champagne, until the alcohol made Christen visibly horny, just like it always did. 

She trailed her fingers up Tobin’s throat until her hand covered her cheek and she joined their mouths. Tobin chuckled, just a little, when Christen’s tongue swept along her bottom lip. She enthusiastically granted her entrance and leaned forward just enough to place her glass of champagne on the coffee table. Her newly free hand landed on Christen’s knee and then traced her strong thigh, all the way underneath her dress. Christen moaned and Tobin made her kisses even more eager.

She pouted when Christen pulled away and got to her feet. “Chris?” She frowned. “Where ya going?”

Christen gave her a coy smile and downed the rest of her champagne. “I’m going to change. The red one or the white one?”

Christen looked unbelievable in both of them, but Tobin still answered without even thinking about it. “The white one.”

Christen smiled and placed both of her hands on her shoulders. “I’ll be right back.” She leaned down for a soft kiss before she asked, “Go in the bedroom?” 

“Uh huh,” Tobin answered.

_And all that I can see  
Is my future in your hands_

“Wow.” Tobin grinned as she sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Christen leaning on the doorframe of the bathroom in her white lingerie. “My wife is super hot.”

Christen laughed and tilted her head. She looked down as her fingers played with the lace hem of the nightgown she was wearing. “This one is your favourite,” she stated knowingly.

Tobin admitted it quickly with a nod. “It looks so good with your skin tone.” She waited for Christen to come closer and laughed in exasperation when she didn’t. “What are you waiting for?” She smiled. “Get over here.” Christen walked towards her slowly and Tobin was quick to grab her by the thighs and pull her onto her lap. “Much better,” she murmured. 

Christen draped her arms over Tobin’s shoulders and smiled. “Better still?”

She nodded before she leaned forward and began to mouth at Christen’s throat and collarbone. Her hands rubbed circles into Christen’s thighs, and then skimmed up her sides. She finally cupped both of Christen’s breasts and groaned in satisfaction. Christen had these small, perfect nipples that she loved to tease. “I wanna take my time with you tonight,” she whispered against her skin. That was her usual MO so she hoped Christen got the message that she was even more serious if she was saying it out loud. “I want to make love to you very slowly,” she said as she began to pull down one of the straps of the nightgown with her teeth.

Christen’s breath hitched and one of her hands tangled in Tobin’s hair. “You took your time with me last night,” she reminded her.

Tobin hummed, and then swiped her tongue along her wife’s delicate clavicle. “That is true, but I have even more incentive to do so tonight.” Tobin swiftly found Christen’s left hand and brought it to her lips. “Lie back on the bed and let me take care of you.”

Christen did as she said, lying back against the pillows, and Tobin settled in the cradle of her hips. Tobin kissed her breathless, and until her lips were pink and swollen. Christen’s hands scrambled to grip her back, and her shoulders, and the back of her neck, and Tobin just kept kissing her.

She had always loved foreplay, but as she had learned very quickly in their relationship, foreplay with Christen Press was something else entirely.

Tobin shifted her hips, intentionally, and she felt Christen’s sharp intake of breath from where she was kissing her neck. She raised her head and looked down at Christen’s arched eyebrow and devilish smile.

“Do you have something in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” She asked teasingly.

Tobin laughed and shifted her hips again.

“Tobs,” she gasped. “Did you wear that all day?”

“No, I changed when you changed. Is that okay?”

Christen nodded as she ran her fingers along Tobin’s forearms. “Definitely.”

Tobin joined their mouths for another kiss, and much to her chagrin, things got out of hand very quickly after that. She kissed over Christen’s chest and down her stomach, through the lace of the nightgown, and then she was pushing the material up over her hips, and smiling at the lack of underwear. Christen pulled and tugged on Tobin’s shirt until she relented and sat up to pull it over her head. She tried to slow down their pace, thinking that she was sprinting towards the end when she had envisioned approaching it at a leisurely jog, but then Christen was nipping at her earlobe and whimpering in her ear.

“Just fuck me, Tobin, please.”

The midfielder shuddered and took a deep breath to steady herself. She pressed their foreheads together and placed a hand on Christen’s hip to anchor herself. “Do you want my mouth first or…?”

Christen adamantly shook her head. “No, no, just fuck me.” She reached for Tobin’s slacks and eagerly yanked them open and pulled down the zipper. “I’m already so wet,” she pleaded. 

Tobin was never able to resist her when she begged. She pushed her slacks and underwear down far enough to expose the harness she was wearing underneath and she maneuvered her dominant hand between them to line up the dildo properly. Christen scratched her short fingernails across her lower back when she pushed into her and stilled to adjust. Tobin couldn’t help but kiss down her throat when she tossed her head back in a moan. She pushed her nose against taut caramel skin and inhaled Christen’s perfume, and the body wash from the shower, and the sweat that was beginning to form.

Tobin loved how powerful and almost arrogant she felt when they had sex like this, as she used all the muscle that she had to thrust her hips and slide in and out of the woman beneath her. But what was infinitely more appealing was the way Christen looked and sounded when they had sex like this. Tobin also enjoyed that she had both hands free to stimulate her in other ways. She skimmed her right hand up Christen’s side until her thumb rubbed across her nipple.

Christen arched and moaned, both of her hands gripped Tobin’s flexing backside, and Tobin knew that she was very, _very_ close. Her orgasm seemed to be hitting her like a freight train, like it was the last time that they would ever get to do this and they were in a hurry instead of it being the first time of the rest of their lives together.

When Christen opened her eyes after recovering from her climax, Tobin rolled onto the other side of the bed with a breathless chuckle. She turned her head to look at her new wife and she looked completely wrecked. Swollen lips. Messy hair. Her lace nightgown rucked up to just beneath her breasts. There was a fresh hickey on her neck, another above her collarbone, and Tobin could still see the wetness between her thighs.

She licked her lips before she spoke. “Okay, we gotta do that again. You tricked me.”

Christen turned her head so that they were facing each other, and laughed. “I tricked you?”

Tobin nodded solemnly. “Yeah, we were supposed to go slow, and then you got all sexy.”

“You started it,” Christen retorted.

“There’s only one way to settle this,” Tobin chirped before she rolled over for a kiss.

_And all that I can feel  
Is how long ever after is_

Hours later, they were curled up in front of the fireplace with a blanket beneath them and one covering them. Tobin was lying on her stomach, but she was close enough to Christen that she could kiss her shoulder with a giddy smile. Her skin was slick and warm, and Tobin had a hard time stopping herself from running her fingers across her stomach and hips, and down her arms. Christen pushed Tobin’s hair out of her face and smiled down at her. She could tell that Christen was getting sleepy, but she wasn’t quite done with her yet.

“Baby, are you tired?” She asked.

“A little,” Christen admitted. Her eyes fluttered and her smile widened. “But I wanna stay up with you.”

Tobin moved closer and rested her chin on Christen’s chest. “We have all the time in the world. But,” she sang, “if you want to stay up, I have a few ideas.”

“Me too,” Christen winked.

Well, as close to a wink as the woman could muster.

“If we go to sleep everything will be the same in the morning,” Tobin pointed out. “We’ll still be here, hidden in the mountains and married.” 

“That is true,” Christen responded thoughtfully.

After a beat of silence, Tobin popped up excitedly. She propped herself up on her elbows and began to talk excitedly. “Do you remember when we first met? Like really met? At your first camp?”

Christen nodded. “Yeah, of course. I remember everything about that first camp.”

“Do you remember kicking around the ball with me in the middle of the night?”

“Of course,” she answered immediately. “I felt so nervous, and anxious, and out of place, and that made me feel so much better.”

“It made me feel better too, and at the time, I didn’t even know why.” Tobin eagerly pressed her mouth to Christen’s before she spoke again. “So, we could go kick the ball around for a little bit if you want? They have a gym downstairs and I brought a ball.” She added, even though it was a pretty good assumption.

Christen smiled happily, like Tobin had just said the perfect thing. “I would love to.”

**VIII. If I Can’t Have You**

_But everything means nothin' if I can't have you_

They spent the next day skiing and enjoying the heated, outdoor people. They got in a quick workout in the gym downstairs, but they also indulged in beer and nachos at a nearby brewery. It was a lively, exhausting day, but they still found the energy to make love before they went to sleep.

Christen awoke when the sun streamed through the curtains. She stretched her toes and then turned on her side to face a sleeping Tobin. A Tobin whose hair was a mess, and who had the cutest, poutiest lips in her sleep. She moved closer and started to pepper her wife’s face with kisses.

Tobin hummed, and groaned, and stretched, and her warm brown eyes slowly fluttered open. “Mornin’,” she whispered roughly. “I love waking up to kisses.”

Christen smiled and continued her tour of Tobin’s face, stopping over her cheeks, nose, and chin before she gave her a soft good morning kiss. “Good morning,” she smiled as she brushed Tobin’s bottom lip with her thumb. “How did you sleep?”

“Amazing,” Tobin grinned. She raised her arms over head and stretched her long limbs again. “How ‘bout you?”

“Like a rock! I’m going to do some yoga, you can sleep a little while longer.”

Tobin’s tongue came out to wet her lips as Christen slipped from the bed. “Can I watch?”

She chuckled over her shoulder before heading into the bathroom. She emerged in leggings and a loose tank top, and Tobin had not moved an inch in bed. She looked incredibly comfortable and relaxed, and her eyes were blown wide, like she was already turned on.

And she probably was.

“Go back to sleep, you goof,” Christen laughed.

Tobin shook her head with a grin. She placed her hands behind her head and fully extended her long legs. “I’m just chillin’. Don’t mind me.”

Christen did a few different poses on the floor space beside the bed, and she could feel Tobin’s eyes on her the entire time. When she finally stood up straight again, feeling loose and energized, she turned to find Tobin still lying in bed with a self-satisfied smirk.

Instead of asking the question, she raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t say anything,” Tobin defended herself. “I was simply… enjoying the view.”

“You could have joined me?”

“You know yoga isn’t exactly one of my strengths,” she chuckled.

Christen laughed as well. Tobin now did yoga as part of her recovery, but she certainly wasn’t good at it. But she tried at least.

“I could help, you know,” she said as she returned to the bed. “Help stretch out some of those stubborn muscles.”

The midfielder moaned, only loud enough to be heard. “Yes, please.”

“Okay, get up!” She encouraged.

Tobin pouted and it didn’t take her very long to whine. “Noooo! I thought you were being sexy.”

Christen held a serious face for several seconds before she laughed and leaned over to give Tobin a kiss. “I am just teasing,” she admitted. “Maybe another time.” She lifted the covers and slid into bed, still in her clothes, and into Tobin’s strong arms. “I’ll let you _chill_.”

Tobin laughed into her hair. “I didn’t say I didn’t want to do anything, I just don’t want to do yoga.” 

She reached for the remote control for the television that was built into the wall above the fireplace and flicked it on. To no one’s surprise, she found Sports Center and watched the highlights as she rubbed circles into Christen’s lower back. She had seen Tobin’s Nintendo Switch in her bag and she was almost impressed that she hadn’t broken the gaming system out yet. Suddenly, she had tonnes of motivation to distract her. 

Christen found Tobin’s far hip with her hand and began to trace the bone. Tobin was still naked, so she definitely had the advantage. Tobin squirmed, but the hand on her back never faltered, and her eyes did not leave the TV. Next, Christen changed the angle of her head and started to nip at Tobin’s sharp jawline.

“Chris?” Tobin exhaled.

“Yeah, Toby?” She breathed.

“What do you want, baby?”

Christen thought about it for just a moment. “I want to make you fall apart. Sit on my face.”

Christen knew that she had won when Tobin turned the television off while they were talking about the Trailblazers.

_I want all of you, all the strings attached_

Christen stood between Tobin’s legs while she sat on the kitchen counter and finished the sandwiches they had made for lunch.

“What do you want to do today?” Christen asked with a smile.

Tobin finished chewing and wiped her hands off on a napkin. She looked over her shoulder to where there was a sliding door connected to the living room that led to a rec room of sorts. That room’s most distinguishing feature was a pool table, and she knew that Tobin was dying to play.

“Beer and pool?” She proposed.

Tobin nodded with a grin. “Beer and pool.”

Christen grabbed two bottles of beer from the refrigerator before she followed Tobin to the pool table. Tobin looked at it excitedly and Christen was on the verge of regretting her decision to agree to this game. Tobin hated to lose, absolutely hated it, and the situation didn’t matter. She was naturally athletic, and good at a lot of things, and she liked to show off sometimes.

She was a little like Kelley in that way.

She watched Tobin move around the pool table in her bright yellow shorts and plain white t-shirt, and she decided to issue a warning. “You have to play nice.”

Tobin looked up at her with wide eyes and a hand on her chest. “I always play nice!”

Christen laughed with a teasing smile. “Let’s just say that I always feel better when I’m on your team.”

“Do you think I’m too competitive?” She questioned in an astonished voice.

“You’re a professional athlete, Tobs.”

“So are you!”

“Yes,” Christen agreed, “but we are built very differently. I am competitive, but I have nothing on you.” She walked up to Tobin to kiss her softly in order to assuage some of her worries. “Don’t worry, I still love you,” she tormented.

Tobin continued to frown and Christen knew that she had to lighten the mood.

She grabbed one of the cues off the wall and spun around with flourish. “How about a bet?” Tobin looked intrigued; therefore, she continued. “Winner gets…”

“Whatever they want,” Tobin chimed in.

“Okay,” Christen chuckled, “whatever they want.” 

“You can break,” Tobin offered. 

“Oh, how kind,” Christen joked.

Tobin racked all of the balls and then she stood behind Christen as she readied herself to break to start the game. Tobin placed both of her hands on Christen’s hips and began to breathe down her neck. Christen bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from bursting out laughing. She knew exactly what her wife was doing, and she wasn’t exactly subtle about it.

“Do you need a refresher on your form or anything?” Tobin asked as she pushed all of Christen’s hair to one side. 

“No, thank you, honey.”

Tobin hummed and slowly ran a hand down Christen’s back.

Christen ignored her, as best as she could, and bent over the table to take the first shot of the game. Her break sunk two balls, one solid and one striped, so she was able to take her pick.

She turned to Tobin with a proud grin. “I’ll take stripes.”

Tobin simply laughed, both in disbelief and amazement, and gestured toward the pool table for her to continue.

Christen, despite her best effort and improved skills, still lost. 

She had two balls left on the table when Tobin smoothly sunk the 8-ball. She huffed in disappointment, but she was a good sport at heart. “Good game. Congratulations.”

Tobin responded by stalking towards her and lifting her up onto the pool table. Both of their pool cues fell to the floor with a clatter and Tobin didn’t even flinch. “You said winner gets whatever they want,” she whispered.

“Technically, you said it, but yes, that is what we agreed to.”

Tobin’s eyes were dark and wanting as her hands slipped around Christen’s hips to grip her butt. “Can I have two things?” She bargained.

Christen traced Tobin’s bottom lip with her thumb and a playful smile. “Depends on what it is.”

“I want you in that shower,” she smirked, and then her voice softened. “And can you tell me when you knew you were in love with me?”

The forward smiled and she was aware that her expression was completely in love and infatuated. “I’ve told you that before.”

Tobin kissed the very tip of her nose and then nuzzled her neck. “Tell me again.”

Christen wrapped her arms around those broad shoulders that she loved so much and smiled. “I knew I loved you way before we even started dating, sadly,” she tacked on self-deprecatingly. “When I realized that I was really in love with you was the first camp after the Olympics. You were still trying to lift my spirits I think. You started practice the way you almost always do, you were running around ‘megging people while the rest of us warmed up.” She felt Tobin laugh as she ran a hand down her back. “And then you came up to me afterwards, and just said, ‘Hey. I’ve been thinking about you.’ And that was it. I knew.”

Tobin sighed loudly and laid her head on Christen’s shoulder. “I love that story,” she murmured.

She pulled Tobin’s face up with a hand on the back of her neck and kissed her gently. “You’re so sweet.”

Tobin straightened up and exhaled. “Okay,” she began as she lifted Christen off of the table and fully into her arms. “Now I’m going to fuck your brains out in the shower.”

“And you have so many layers,” she joked with a big laugh.

Tobin’s only response was to grin impishly and pull her legs tighter around her hips.

**IX. Lucky**

_I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend_

When the time finally came to go back home, Tobin reluctantly packed up the car and slowly walked back up to their room. Christen was still finishing in the bathroom and Tobin wanted to savour every last moment of their little, surprise getaway. 

She stepped into the bathroom and watched Christen throw her curls up into a bun. She walked up behind her and smiled at their reflection. “The car’s all ready,” she spoke quietly, “but we still have this place for a few more hours. Can I make you a fancy coffee?” She asked with a grin.

Christen laughed with a roll of her eyes. “I would love a cappuccino.” Tobin made a move to leave the room, but Christen’s delicate fingers wrapped around her forearm. She turned and raised an eyebrow in question, and Christen pulled her body into hers. “Come here first.” Christen kissed her and slowly pulled up the t-shirt she was wearing until she was touching bare skin. “Wanna have one last romp in the mountains?”

“I thought I was the insatiable one?”

“Not always,” Christen smiled innocently. “I want to have sex with my wife too, you know?”

“Understandable,” she jested.

They moved to the large sofa in the living room so that they could lie down, and kiss, and pet. It was just as slow as the night before, after their wager from pool led them to the shower. Tobin was sure that she would have dragged it out for several more hours if they didn’t have a time constraint.

Her hands finally slipped underneath the waistband of Christen’s sweats, and with a nuzzle of permission, she pushed her hand down to cup Christen’s center. Christen, from her position on top, gasped loudly and responded in kind.

“You’re so wet, Tobs,” she whispered against her mouth.

Tobin hummed and her other hand gripped Christen’s backside to provide more movement and more friction. “So are you, baby,” she retorted.

There was a push and pull between them, moments of restraint and indulgence, until they came at the same time with their mouths pressed roughly together.

Christen’s breathing was harsh as she stroked her cheek and jaw. “I don’t think we can tell anyone,” she finally said.

Tobin, with her eyes still closed and her hands still in very precarious places, felt every muscle in her body tense. “What?”

Christen lifted her head so that they could fully see every minuet expression on the other’s face. She continued to stroke Tobin’s cheek and a soft smile played across her mouth. “I don’t mean that I want to hide it,” she tried to explain.

The midfielder swallowed uncomfortably because that sounded like exactly what she was saying. If Christen didn’t want to tell anyone, did that mean that they hadn’t been ready to take this very important step? It was certainly starting to feel that way.

Christen must have read the worry on her face because she leaned down to give her a kiss that was both hungry and sweet. “I love you, and I’m proud of you,” she assured her. “I don’t think we can tell anyone because it’s Christmas, and then it’s Ash and Ali’s wedding and I don’t want to steal any of their thunder.”

Tobin smiled happily and released a sigh of relief. She should have known that Christen’s hesitation came from thinking of someone else’s happiness. She surged upwards to capture Christen’s mouth in a heated kiss. “Okay, we can wait. I wouldn’t want to take anything away from Ash and Ali either.” 

“The new year?” Christen proposed.

Tobin nodded in agreement. “The new year, and until then we’ll just…”

She trailed off and Christen finished the sentence for her. “We’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

“Okay,” Tobin murmured before she pulled Christen down for another kiss. “Okay, I can do that,” she said more to herself than her wife. “I love you.”

“I love you too, and I am _so_ happy that we’re married.”

Tobin sighed in relief again. “Me too. Unbelievably so.” She frowned as a thought struck her. “Wait, so you won’t wear your ring?”

“I’ll wear it on a chain around my neck or something,” she smiled.

Tobin smiled back at her. “Perfect. You’re perfect.”

“I’m not,” Christen grinned, “but sometimes it makes me feel good that you think I am. I think you’re pretty perfect too.”

Tobin kissed her one last time before her thought process shifted. “Come on, let’s get ready to go home.”

They both realized that their life together, as a married couple, didn’t truly start until they walked through the door of their home.


End file.
